News-Record.com

Not too long ago, I was roused from my pre-bed-time slumber in front of the television by a kind of fluffy campaign-style ad. Its basic message was that Dems in Congress were doing good things and the President Bush should listen to them on Iraq.

So I got to rooting around on YouTube today and ran across the thing. Take a listen. I'd be interested in knowing whether other folks had caught this thing and what they thought of it.

I've seen versions now that were sponsored by both the DCCC and the DSCC. In fact, I spied the version with the Senate campaign tag first and thought they might be softening the ground for an eventual candidate to enter the race against Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

It's definitely a little bit more warm and fuzzy that the other ad I've seen that they were running earlier this year in some other places. That one:

So, given we're months away from the primary, in the midst of municipal election season and there's not yet an announced contender for the Senate race, what purpose do these things serve? I have a call in to the DSCC on this but your take is welcome.

Update: A spokeswoman with the DSCC says that it was a national cable buy and ads were not placed in North Carolina specifically.

The ad, she said, was designed to "keep the pressure on the president and Republicans over Iraq," as well as keep voters up with what's going on in Congress.